What it asks: "Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution concerning the state personnel system, and, in connection therewith, expanding the veterans' preference; increasing the number of candidates eligible to be appointed to a position; adjusting the duration of allowable temporary employment; allowing the flexibility to remove a limited number of positions from the system; modifying the residency requirement; adjusting the terms of service for members of the state personnel board; and requiring merit-based appointments to be made through a comparative analysis process?"

What it means: The amendment would make changes to the state personnel system, impacting about 32,500 individuals in full- and part-time permanent positions in state government. It would increase the number and types of state employees who may be exempt from the state personnel system; change testing and hiring procedures for filling vacancies in the state personnel system; expand hiring preferences for veterans; and adjust the terms of service and duties for members of the State Personnel Board.

What supporters say: The Colorado Legislature voted unanimously to place Amendment S on the ballot. Now, the only way the state can assess a job applicant is through standardized testing. The measure ensures that applicants are judged on their ability, talent and test scores so that the best candidates are hired and promoted.

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Each year, Colorado taxpayers pay to recruit and train seasonal workers in parks and other departments, but those employees aren't allowed to return for a second year. This amendment would allow those seasoned workers to return. It gives preference to veterans and makes employees more accountable to department heads.

What opponents say: The measure gives the governor and political appointees, including the state personnel director, too much power over the state's personnel system. The governor's administration will be able to exempt about 325 additional positions from the system, and members of the constitutionally independent Personnel Board could be removed without cause. The state personnel director, appointed by the governor, will now have policymaking authority over areas of the system that the board has traditionally overseen. The measure would make the system more vulnerable to favoritism and abuse.

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